A man was killed Thursday when he was hit by falling wine bottles at a wine storage facility in the North Bay, according to police.
A man was killed Thursday when he was hit by falling wine bottles at a wine storage facility in the North Bay, according to police.
The apparent industrial accident happened at Alexander Valley Cellars in Windsor, police said.
The 40-year-old man was operating a forklift when he got wedged between pallets of wine, causing bottles to fall and strike him, police said. He died at the scene.
"It is unknown what exactly occurred as the incident was unwitnessed however, it appears the employee braced his equipment against pallets filled with wine bottles," read a news release from the Windsor Police Department. "Each pallet was estimated to weigh 2100 to 3000 lbs. The employee dismounted his equipment and subsequently a pallet collapsed on top of the employee. Sonoma County Fire and Windsor Police responded and found the employee deceased."
The investigation was turned over to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, according to police.
Further information wasn't immediately available.
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